Here's a question to ponder: Is leading a remote team really different from leading a team where everyone's in the same room? The answer depends on where you put the emphasis in that question. Is it different, or is it really different?
In my work with clients around the world, I've come to believe that what you're looking at are degrees of difference, rather than orders of difference.
Here's what I mean. A degree of difference means that things need to be done differently; faster, smarter, and perhaps using different tools than we're used to. An order of change means that this is a completely different animal and we require a radical new solution.
A simple example, might serve. If you travel a lot, your clunky old car might need to be replaced by a newer, safer and more dependable ride. Getting a new car is a degree (in the case of the piece of junk I drive a major degree) better than what you have. On the other hand, if you travel really long distances, and need to be functional when you arrive, maybe it's time to think about getting on an airplane. That's an ORDER of difference.
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